Myperbole

You can tell a lot about a writer’s stuff in ten pages.

Want to know where your stuff sits?

Ask the ‘Ten Page Sage’!

This special, limited-time-only mentorship service is suitable for beginners, emerging authors and Booker Prize winners (well, some of the ones I’ve read).  Perfect as a gift - for a birthday, bat mitzvah, wake, gender re-assignment or dishonourable discharge from the army.  Your special someone will be eternally grateful.

Interested?  Drop me an email:

choco_mcconaghy@yahoo.com

With the manuscript of my new novel, ‘Finding Fault’, set to be completed this week, here’s the re-jigged teaser for all and sundry…

‘Finding Fault’ – Darren Groth

The Richter twins stood firm on shaky ground.

At age four, their tortured mother, Leonie, walked out on the family.  On the cusp of adulthood, their beloved father, Dan, died of cancer.  Now in their early twenties, the twins remain defined by their symbiotic relationship: sole, at-home carer, Justine; and disabled, ‘Extra-Sensory’ Perry.

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So, my friend Angela Law – the inimitable Ange of All Trades – recently went galavanting across Europe and, for her reading pleasure, she packed a copy of Kindling.  

Not only did she devour the story over a two day stretch (and she assures me she loved it), she also took the little Aussie novel on some sight-seeing adventures: most notably in Amsterdam, Denmark and Italy.  To get a close-up of Ange’s ‘Kindling Tour’, click the photos above.

Now, let me ask the question: As Kindling nears its one year anniversary of release, can anyone add to Ange’s unique locales?

Get snappin!

The Taiwanese publication of Kindling (titled ‘Emerald Boy’…I really like that…) is now available and, though I’m sure the literary translator did a fine job, the Google translation back into English of the TW version is pure comedic gold.  Here’s a taste of Chapter One, originally written in Australian English, translated into Complex Chinese, then re-translated back into Google’s own warped vortex of the Queen’s tongue:

I pulled the door hard. 門鎖住了。 The door was locked. 理智衝破混亂的思緒，向我發聲： Break through the confusion of thoughts sensible to me voice:
他不可能在屋裡。 He can not in the house.
「基倫！」我大喊，手伸進口袋笨拙地摸索。 “Kieren!” I shouted, reached into his pocket awkwardly groping.
他沒有鑰匙。 He did not key.
「基倫！」 “Kieren!”
我開鎖、甩開門，手扒向電燈開關。 I lock, throw off the door, hand picking the light switch. 哪裡不對勁？ Wrong with you? 哪裡？ Where? 就算是再細微的變化也好──我在心裡祈禱。 Even subtle changes in re-Ye Hao ─ ─ I pray in my heart. 移動過的玩具？ Moved the toys? 扔在地上的抱枕？ On the floor of the pillow? 令他安心的小玩意兒有哪一樣不見了？ Make him feel at ease with which one small thing missing? 某樣東西、任何東西，只要能透露我兒子的蹤跡、移除哽在我喉頭的恐懼都好。 Something, anything, as long as my son said the trace, remove the fear of choking in my throat all good.

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The Brothers Groth have teamed up to do a bit of good for once…

Myself and Simon have put together the smallest anthology in the history of literature to aid the flood victims of Queensland – a little gem called Surface Water. 

I’ve written a short memoir piece of the recent disaster from my rather distant vantage in Vancouver called Sympathy via Satellite.  Simon has contributed his brilliant story Twelve Years, One Month & Thirteen Days, a piece set in Brisbane’s last significant flood from 1974.

The PDF download via donation of Surface Water will be available exclusively from simongroth.com for a limited time only.

I do like a good title.  Not as much as a good story, of course, but I think it’s important to catch a reader’s ear with a strong tag; just as it’s vital to capture a reader’s eye with a striking front cover.  Thus, after a slight change in narrative direction and much hand-wringing over its implications, the working manuscript of The Mantle has a new name:

Finding Fault

To remind yourself of what it’s about you can click here and here.

BTW, the best title I ever came up with is for a story that is yet to see the light of day.  What is it, I hear you ask?  I’ll let you know if and when it ever gets done  

For all those disciples of Steve Jobs, my work has now moved beyond the page and into the Apple ether.

For the very reasonable outlay of $12.99AU, you can now purchase the non-tree murdering version of  Kindling from the Australian iBookstore.

Of course, if you’d rather just keep playing ’Angry Birds’, I completely understand…

Want to know what a big-time publisher’s job entails?  Want some tips on making it in the writing biz?

My publisher at Hachette, Vanessa Radnidge, was recently interviewed by “Australia’s leading independent site dedicated to literary free thinking” – The Australian Literature Review.  As well as re-iterating her love for Kindling (thanks, V ), she has some useful advice for those of you out there with big, booky-type dreams.

Here’s a snippet…

What is the most important piece of advice you would like to give for people writing their first novel-length manuscript for National Novel Writing Month in November?

Polish, perfect, proofread.  And remember it takes a lot to write a novel, to lock yourself away and remove yourself from family and friends, so celebrate every step. It is an achievement to create a story, so be proud. You don’t know how it will be received or if it will be published but in that moment between finishing your story and sharing it with someone else, sit back and appreciate that no matter what happens you have achieved what you set out to do. That is a big thing.

The annual BCLC silent auction to support iconic charity, United Way, featured a literary touch this year – a first edition copy of Kindling and the chance to be a walk-on fictional character in my upcoming novel, The Mantle.

The bidding was often and spirited, but ultimately Pam Bassi wouldn’t be denied. Her bid of $85 trumped all others and assured her a prominent place amongst the pages of my next Australian release in 2012 (Mayan apocalypse permitting). Good on you, Pam!

A second copy of Kindling and associated literary stardom is currently up for grabs in the Kamloops BCLC office – stay tuned to see if they can out-do their big smoke counterparts…

I must say, I’ve been big-time chuffed with the overwhelmingly positive response  to Kindling in its first three months of published life.  Across the board – from writers to booksellers to reviewers to regular punters – people seem to have really connected with Nate and Kieran and a certain summer afternoon of high drama.

The latest praise has come from M/C Reviews.  It exhibits the following words:

“beautiful…amazing…favourite…emotional…poetic…enthralling…flawless…must-read“ 

To see how these words were used in sentences, click here.

To everyone who’s had a kind word (or words) to say about Kindling, I thank you most sincerely.